NXT – the transformation of retail

Why try to make a square peg fit into a round hole?

Netthandel.no did a great job arranging their first all-day conference NXT, scoring a full house with 500 participants! Having a great line-up of presenters, they attracted many merchants from a range of web stores, and also some service providers, such as us with AfterPay.

One of the focus areas was the willingness to change as a key component in achieving success in retail and e-commerce. E-commerce used to be about having a website, a list of products and a variety of payment options. Then the job was done. Today, that is considered to be part of the “old world”. Now, the consumer is king, and if you don’t adapt, you’re history.

Getinspired.no demonstrated how they use social media channels to communicate with their followers as if they are people that they actually know rather than just consumers. With more than 75,000 followers on Instagram and more than 81,000 on Facebook, it’s safe to say that their direct approach to customer relationships is working. But creating personal communication is no coincidence. It’s the result of a deliberate strategy for their target segment.

A good example of adaptation playing a key role in a success story comes from Godtlevert.no. When they first started out making deliveries of food and recipes to private homes, the feedback was that the meals were good, but it took too long to cook them. They took this response to the chefs that had created the menus. Initially, they said: “Sorry, if you want a nice-tasting meal, that’s how long it takes.” Fortunately, Godtlevert.no is not solely run by chefs, so they managed to change their focus to become more consumer-centric. New menus and recipes were created, and it worked.

The lesson learned is that there is no point trying to make a square peg fit into a round hole. We need to be willing and equipped to change. After all, happy customers are the best ingredients for your success.